Hiroshima A-bomb victims top 557,000

HIROSHIMA – The hibakusha population in Hiroshima has grown to 557,478, according to research conducted by the city government.

Based on a fresh review of 120,000 documents which was undertaken by computer for the first time, the number of atomic bomb victims has grown by around 15,000 compared with the previous tally 14 years ago, the data showed Saturday.

Of the latest figure, 384,743 hibakusha were confirmed to have been in the city or nearby towns and villages when the A-bomb was dropped in 1945, up by around 12,000 from the previous survey. The remainder includes people who later entered areas near ground zero and those who lacked sufficient information about their whereabouts. After eliminating duplications, the death toll from the bombing was lowered to 277,996, from the previously reported 280,959.

An official suggested the study will likely be the last one because 68 years have passed since the bombing and it is unlikely that any new documents will be discovered.